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Chinese Store Trademarks Yeezy Name To Sell 'Legit' Knock-Offs

A Chinese store seems to have found a loophole that allows them to sell ‘legit’ Yeezy knock-offs. The store is located in Wenzhou (not far from Suzhou, where New Balance have been making headway on bootleggers) and sells Yeezy ‘550’ BOOSTs ripped straight from Kanye’s design. They also have a huge stencil of Kanye’s face on the storefront and offer a variety of customisations. How do they get away with it? Well, the opportunistic owner cheekily trademarked the name ‘Yeezy’ back in 2013. It’s a sketchy workaround, but one that Chinese officials are enforcing.

But they might not get away with it for long. New Balance’s related victories could set a precedent for Kanye and adidas to follow suit, especially since one of their legal wins was over a brand called ‘New Bunren’, who has set up shop right beside the Wenzhou store.

For all those looking for legit Yeezy stores, you may not have to wait long. Kanye told Voguelast year that he was looking to open 200 retail locations in the near future, and since that future is now the present, those stores can’t be far off.